Who Drinks Coffee? Looking at the Numbers

Coffee is no longer just a morning beverage. People consume this drink all hours of the day. In fact, this beverage is now the most popular drink in the world. It is estimated that people consume around 400 billion cups of coffee a year, making it the second most exported commodity across the globe after oil. A lot of individuals now days tend to order specialty coffee online in order to test out unique blends, while some opt in for buying locally. This depends in part on the availability of coffee in the person’s area.

Who drinks coffee? Where do they live? What type of coffee do they normally consume? Let’s look at the numbers, as some figures may surprise even those who love and consume it regularly.

Other Names for Coffee

First, a person must recognize that coffee goes by many names. The British often say they would like a cuppa, while people living on the Indonesian island of Java refer to this beverage as java. When they originally started referring to this beverage by that name, they did so to distinguish it from coffee beans grown in other parts of the world. Over time, however, the name 'java' became synonymous with 'coffee'.

For centuries, the Mocha Port in Yemen served as the primary location for exporting coffee and because of this, people would often refer to the beverage as "mocha", even though it did not contain any chocolate. At present, however, the Port no longer exists and someone who requests a mocha in a cafe will now get a hot drink that is combined with chocolate. Coffee can also go by the names 'Joe', 'morning brew', 'bean juice' or 'morning juice'. No matter how one refers to it, the beverage consumed worldwide is still recognized as coffee.

Countries Where Coffee is Popular

It may appear that Americans consume more coffee than residents of other nations, however, this is not accurate. Actually, the United States ranks lower than 25 other countries regarding annual coffee intake. Which places on Earth drink more coffee annually?

Finland is the leading nation for per capita coffee consumption annually, coming in at 26.5 pounds per person. The following figures are all in pounds per capita yearly. Norway is a distant second, as residents consume 21.8 pounds. Residents of Iceland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland all consume over 15 pounds of dry coffee each year per capita.

Those from Belgium, Luxembourg, and Canada typically consume between 14 and 15 lbs of dry coffee each year, while those in Bosnia, Austria, Italy, Brazil, Slovenia, and Germany consume between 12 and 14 pounds annually. In comparison, individuals living in the United States only consume 9.3 pounds of ground coffee per person yearly.

Individual tastes in Coffee

Even though worldwide coffee consumption is notably high, not everyone drinks it in the same way. The average person in Finland, for example, drinks four cups of coffee each day. However, some residents drink 20 cups in a single day. They prefer to drink it black, as well. Most Finns don’t add sugar or cream to their beverage. Icelanders enjoy a range of drinks that can be found in the numerous cafes and coffee houses that are scattered throughout the country. Unlike the Finns, Icelanders like variety in their beverages. They have a predilection for Italian-style coffee drinks, including cappuccinos and lattes.

Swedes prefer strong coffee, which isn’t surprising. The winters drag on, and coffee helps the residents cope. Whenever people come together in the country, they do so over a strong, black cup of coffee. A social gathering, party, or meeting wouldn’t be complete without this drink. While Europeans love their coffee, Canadians aren’t far behind. They love to have coffee first thing in the morning and prefer drip coffee over iced drinks. However, they aren’t the only ones in North America who love coffee.

Americans Love Coffee

America remains the largest importer of coffee today. Eighty percent of older Americans, those over the age of 30, have at least one cup of coffee each day. Fifty percent of those under the age of 30 have at least one cup daily. Large cups of coffee remain more popular than smaller coffee beverages. Although caffeine is known to give people a burst of energy, over 42 percent of habitual coffee drinkers cite their enjoyment of the flavor as the reason they choose to drink it. When selecting a beverage, they tend to favor ordinary coffee rather than other options, such as espresso.

How Americans Get Their Coffee

Due to the widespread presence of coffee shops in the US, many people favor buying pre-made coffee from these businesses on a daily basis, often opting for the drive-thru service. In fact, coffee shops are so popular in the country that there were over 37,000 establishments of this type in America in 2020. Starbucks remains the most popular coffee chain, and this company has approximately 300 stores per state. Dunkin Donuts, its closest competitor, has only 191 shops per state, on average.

New York City serves as home to the largest number of coffee shops. However, San Francisco and Las Vegas aren’t far behind. With so many shops in the country today, it’s easy to see how the coffee shop industry brought in $45.8 million in 2022 alone. Approximately 45 percent of those consuming coffee favor using a drip machine to prepare their beverage at home; in contrast, single-cup machines are seeing an increase in popularity.

In reality, half of American households earning more than $50,000 a year have a single-serve machine. Such machines account for over one-third of coffee bought at retailers in the country presently, and four out of ten workers state they have access to a similar device in their workplace.

How Do Americans Drink Coffee?

It appears that regular coffee is the more favored choice versus espresso or related drinks in America. Decaffeinated coffee being the least popular beverage option, whereas cappuccinos are by far the most preferred espresso-based drink in the U.S. They made up a third of all espresso drinks Americans consumed in 2019.

When drinking coffee, Americans often choose to add milk or creamer to the beverage. Forty percent of coffee drinkers state they prefer having one of these additions in their beverage. However, only four percent of coffee drinkers use dairy-free creamer and other milk alternatives.

Espresso-based gourmet coffee continues to be the go-to beverage of millennials, making up seventy percent of the coffee they consume. This helps to explain why gourmet or specialty coffee has increased in popularity in the past few years.

Where Is Coffee Sourced From?

People rarely think about where the coffee they drink comes from. Odds are high that it comes from Brazil, as this country made up approximately 44 percent of global coffee exports in 2019. Indonesia came in a very distant second, making up only eight percent of global exports. However, over 50 countries make coffee in some capacity. Much of the coffee Americans drink comes from Columbia, rather than Brazil or Indonesia.

What are the Benefits of Consuming Coffee?

Coffee has a plethora of wellness perks. The caffeine contained in the drink can sharpen concentration and boost recollection. It helps to lift the spirits while also augmenting an individual's responsiveness. In addition, it increases reflex speed. Still, caffeine is not the sole beneficial ingredient of coffee that is advantageous to people. Consuming coffee allows one to obtain essential B vitamins, potassium, and riboflavin, as it is derived from beans which are beneficial for humans.

There are benefits from the antioxidants found in the beans, as these antioxidants protect ones cells from dangerous free radicals. Phenolic compounds present in the beverage help safeguard the body from inflammation and oxidative stress. Indeed, coffee can provide many of the same advantages that come with consuming fruits and vegetables.Consumers of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee often have a lower chance of having type 2 diabetes, and may even delay the onset of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's.

Individuals with the potential for cirrhosis of the liver, including those experiencing fatty liver issues and alcoholics, find benefit from drinking coffee. Coffee drinkers have a decreased likelihood of getting colorectal or liver cancer, and regular coffee consumption aids in reducing instances of depression. Nevertheless, it is best to take coffee in moderation as too much of a good thing can lead to dehydration and have a person feeling jumpy. Remember that too much coffee can interfere with sleep, so it is best to not consume it close to bedtime.

Sales of coffee did decline slightly following the global pandemic. However, sales of many products decreased at that time. Only time will tell if the industry rebounds to its previous level and exceeds that in the future. With so many coffee beverages offered today, the odds of it doing so seem to be pretty good.

Next time you're looking for coffee shops in Knoxville, TN, be sure to visit us at Honeybee Coffee and Brewery. Whether you order a cup of coffee, java, - whatever you call it, we're happy to help.